Susceptibility to poliomyelitis, measles, mumps and rubella in university students.
A serological study of 433 university students in various health care professions revealed levels of susceptibility of 2-7% for measles, 0-4% for mumps, 6-17% for poliomyelitis and a particularly disquieting 13-23% for rubella. Representing a developed population with a supposedly high level of immunisation cover these levels of susceptibility indicate students' vulnerability to outbreaks caused by viruses coming from reservoirs in under-immunised developing populations in the country. Nevertheless, no evidence of occupational exposure between the first- and final-year students was revealed. Immunisation efforts thus need to be urgently targeted not only to developing but also to developed populations in South Africa.
Schoub
B D
BD
National Institute for Virology, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg.
Johnson
S
S
McAnerney
J M
JM
Borkon
L
L
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D004198:Disease Susceptibility; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008457:Measles / Q000276:immunology*; D009107:Mumps / Q000276:immunology*; D011051:Poliomyelitis / Q000276:immunology*; D012409:Rubella / Q000276:immunology*; D013335:Students, Dental; D013336:Students, Health Occupations; D013337:Students, Medical; D013338:Students, Nursing
D000914:Antibodies, Viral